Exercise surprise: Daily activities that burn calories

Last updated: October 2013

Ever wonder why you're huffing and puffing after cleaning the house? It's because you're burning about 230 calories an hour!

Here's a list of household and leisure activities that can get your heart going and make your body stronger during and after pregnancy – and how many calories* they burn per hour. These numbers are an estimate, based on someone who weighs 145 pounds engaging in moderate (not vigorous) activity.

Dusting – 165 calories per hour

Gardening – 330 calories per hour

Grocery shopping – 231 calories per hour

Housecleaning – 231 calories per hour

Ironing – 152 calories per hour

Laundry/folding clothes – 132 calories per hour

Line dancing – 297 calories per hour

Making the bed – 132 calories per hour

Mopping/scrubbing floors – 297 calories per hour

Ping-pong – 264 calories per hour

Playing with kids at the playground – 264 calories per hour

Playing guitar – 132 calories per hour

Playing piano – 165 calories per hour

Cooking – 165 calories per hour

Rearranging furniture – 395 calories per hour

Sweeping (inside) – 165 calories per hour

Swing dancing – 363 calories per hour

Vacuuming – 165 calories per hour

Walking briskly – 264 calories per hour

Of course, how many calories you burn depends on your weight (the more you weigh, the more calories you burn) and the intensity of your activity. Still, it's nice to know that everything you do burns calories, even if you don't think of it as "exercise."

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